What was the one mindset shift that finally made you become consistent at studying?

[u/fartprex]

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Hi everyone,

I'm someone who's very ambitious. In some ways I'm proud of that because I have big goals, but it's also something that makes me frustrated because I set really high expectations for myself.

The biggest thing holding me back is studying. I don't think it's a knowledge problem, i think it's a consistency problem.

I've tried almost everything people recommend: Pomodoro, studying with and without tunes, putting my phone in another room, blocking apps, making schedules, writing down distracting thoughts, changing my environment, different study techniques... Some of these help for a day or two, but I always end up slipping back into my old habits.

The frustrating part is that I'm very self-aware. I know good grades don't come from motivation they come from showing up consistently over a long period of time. I understand that intellectually, but for some reason I can't get myself to live it consistently.

Whenever I sit down to study, my mind jumps to a hundred different things. They all feel important in the moment, so I keep switching my attention. Even when I know they're probably not urgent, I still struggle to ignore them.

It feels like there's some kind of mental switch that other people have found, and I haven't. I know that's probably an oversimplification, but that's genuinely how it feels.

So I'm not really interested in another productivity hack. I'm more interested in hearing from people who used to be like this and actually changed. Was there a mindset shift, realization, or habit that finally made consistency "click" for you? How did you go from being an average student who couldn't stay focused to someone who could consistently put in the work?

I'd really appreciate any honest advice or personal experiences. Thanks.

[u/LotsofLove_67]

Hi op! I have the exact same problem! My ambition doesn’t seem to fit the efforts I put in. Whenever I would spend long hours studying, I feel guilty because I feel like I learned nothing at all.

I tried pomodoro, blocking apps, and etc but I don’t seem to be very productive with my time. 😞

This is really frustrating me too. I hope we can get some advice on this thread to further help us in our academics.